HR 1161 And A New Chapter on Wine in the Capitalists’ Bible

Posted by Tom Wark on Apr 26, 2011

Today the Wall Street Journal took a strong stand against H.R. 1161, calling it a "Bad Bill" and taking notice that if passed it would "reduce choices and raise prices for consumers."

What I like most about this important editorial from a newspaper that is carefully watched on Capitol Hill is the editorial board's keen awareness of the the truly anti-American nature of the bill seen in the way it would strip wine retailers of their commerce clause protections by allowing states to erect trade barriers against wine retailers—a practice that the U.S. Constitution was built to deter:

"The wholesalers and their friends in Congress argue that [The] CARE [Act} promotes state sovereignty and limits Congressional abuse of the Commerce Clause. We might remind them that the original purpose of that clause was to stop states from enacting protectionist laws. The very reason James Madison called the Constitutional Convention was to eliminate interstate trade barriers that were balkanizing the union."

It's practically inconceivable that Congress would consider endorsing a bill that allows states to erect trade barriers and anti-commerce legislation at a time when our economy is trying to ride out the worst recession in years. HR 1161 isn't merely special interest legislation. It is bad for the recovering economy, bad for job creation, bad for commerce and bad for consumers.

Cheers to the Wall Street Journal for recognizing a dog when they see one and calling it out for how ugly it is.